The name vampire has been appropriated to blood-sucking bats. It was erroneously given to bats of.the s.e. of Asia and Malayan archipelago, which are really frugivorous. The blood-sucking bats are all South American, and belong to the genus phyllostoma, or specter-bat (q v.), and genera nearly allied to it. The true vampires (desmodus) resemble the specter-bats; they have a small build membrane on the nose, no tail, and the inter femoral membrane little developed. They have two great projecting, approximate upper incisors, and similar lancet-shaped superior canines, all of which are very sharp-pointed, and arranged to make a triple puncture like that of a leech. There are four bilobiate inferior incisors, the innermost separated by a wide interval; the lower canines are small; there are no true molars, but two false molars in the upper jaw, and three in the lower, of a peculiar form, apparently unfitted for, mastication. The intestine is shorter than in any other mammal, and the whole structure seems to indicate that blood is the sole food. In some parts of South America, vampires are very numerous, and ddmestic animals suffer greatly from their nocturnal attacks. They seem to take advantage of an existing wound, hut they can also make one. In some parts of Brazil the rearing of calves is impossible, on account of these bats, and there are districts, chiefly those in which lime stone rocks prevail, with numerous caves, in which cattle cannot be profitably kept. Vampires sometimes attack men, when sleeping in the open air; but the stories of their fanning their victims with their wings, whilst they suck their blood, are fabulous.
VAN, a fortified town of Turkey in Asia, capital of a district of the same name, stands near the s.e. shore of lake Van. 145 m. s.e. of Erzeroom. It is overlooked by a citadel, now much dilapidated, put which, from its position on a lofty bight, might be of im portance, and in good repair, and well defended, would be also almost impregnable, Cotton goods are manufactured, and the bazaars are well stored with the produce raised in the vicinity. The streets are narrow, dirty, and ill-paved, but most of the houses
are well-built. The principal bublic buildings, in addition to time citadel, are the mosques, the Armenian churches, time baths, the caravansaries, and the bazaars. Van is always called among the Armenians town of Semiramis—contains ancient ruins, and cuneal inscriptions are found in which time name Xerxes frequently occurs. Pop. stated at 45,000.—The el:strict of VAN, a territory of Turkish Armenia, has sometimes been a separate pashalik, and sometimes a subordinate division. It is bounded on the e. by Persia, and on the n. by the lately acquirpd Russian in Armenia. It consists mainly of a lofty basin, surrounded by steep mountains, in the center of which is the lake of Van. The climate is very hot in the lowlandS. The pro ductions are corn, fruit, wine, flax, tobacco, cotton, timber, manna, gall-nuts, and honey. The pasturage being exceedingly good, great•numbers of live-stock are reared, and. with the other agricultural products, form the chief exports---The LAKE OF VAN is a consider able inland sea, 80 in. longand 50 in. in extreme breadth, though the average breadth is not nearly so great. Area, 1200 sq. tidies. It is fed by about eight streams, and has no visible outlet. Its waters are salt, and the only fish caught in it are a kind of sardines, which are salted and exported throughout Asia Minor.
VAN, a species of carriage for merchandise, sometimes covered, and in use for carry ing household furniture; in other cases, open and of a lighter nature, used by shop keepers for sending articles to their customers. Whether large or small, or with four or only two wheels, the van is set on springs. and it might be called a spring-cart or wagon. The term van seems to be an abbeviation of caravan, which was formerly in use.